Romney Camp Keys Off TIME Interview to Bash Perry (Again) on Soc Security

Governor Perry Is Backing Further And Further Away From His Position On Social Security:

In His Time Profile Interview, Perry Fails To Mention His Belief That Social Security Disrespects The Constitution And Should Be Dismantled And Returned To The States. PERRY: “[W]e have a system that is now broken. We need to make sure that those on Social Security today – and those approaching it – know without a doubt it will be in place. It will not go away.” … TIME: “How would you change Social Security? …” PERRY: “We are having a national discussion now about a lot of different options … I have accomplished one of the things that I wanted to do by talking about it. Americans are paying attention.” (“Rick Perry Exclusive,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 9/15/11)

Earlier This Week, Perry Wrote That “America’s Goal Must Be To Fix Social Security” So Americans “Really Can Count On [It] For The Long Haul.” “America’s goal must be to fix Social Security by making it more financially sound and sustainable for the long term. … Americans must come together and agree to address the problems so today’s beneficiaries and tomorrow’s retirees really can count on Social Security for the long haul.” (Rick Perry, Op-Ed, “I Am Going To Be Honest With The American People,” USA Today, 9/12/11)

Perry Now Talks About “How We Can Save The Social Security Program.” “Asked whether he supported the potential Social Security eligibility changes he cited, Perry repeated his support for a ‘national conversation about how we can save the Social Security program that people expect to have as a retirement program.’” (Peggy Fikac, “Perry Gives Voters In Iowa An Earful Of Tough Talk,” San Antonio Express-News, 8/28/11)

Governor Perry Has Repeatedly And Passionately Claimed That Social Security Is A Failure And The Program Should Not Exist:

Perry: “Get It Back To The States. Why Is The Federal Government Even In The Pension Program…? Let The States Do It.” PERRY: “When you look at Social Security, it’s broke. … Get it back to the states. Why is the federal government even in the pension program or the health care delivery program? Let the states do it. … That, I will suggest to you, is one of the ways this federal government can get out of our business, save a lot of money and get back to that Constitutional way of doing business in those enumerated powers that they’re supposed to have.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 11/5/10)

In Fed Up!, Perry Says Social Security Is In Place “At The Expense Of Respect For The Constitution.” “Social Security is something that we’ve been forced to accept for more than 70 years now. … at the expense of respect for the Constitution and limited government.” (Rick Perry, Fed Up!, 2010, p. 50)

Perry: “Let The States [Decide] How To Run The Pensions.” PERRY: “There’s a number of things in that book that will strike Americans as horrifying. And we must, as a people, get put back in the box. Get this government back to the limited form that our founding fathers sought. Let the states, whether it is how to run Medicaid, how to run the pensions.” (Fox’s “On The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” 11/8/10)

Perry Called Social Security A Program “That We Don’t Need.” PERRY: “I think every program needs to stand the sunshine of righteous scrutiny. Whether it’s Social Security, whether it’s Medicaid, whether it’s Medicare. You’ve got $115 trillion worth of unfunded liability in those three. … And I think we should have a legitimate, honest, national discussion about Washington’s continuing to spend money we don’t have on programs that we don’t need.” (Andrew Romano, “Rick Perry On The Record,” The Daily Beast, 8/12/11)